Your Calling From Jesus Series

INTRODUCTION

• PC VIDEO

• SLIDE #1

• Well, I hope none of us get called by God to build an Ark, that would be a tremendous undertaking! It would be scary, and people would make fun of you!

• Have you ever wanted to know God’s will for your life? I have had many people ask me that question through the years.

• I do not know all of God’s specific will for the lives of other people; however, I do know something that God wants ALL Christians to do. It can be intimidating, but the effort will be well worth it!

• The scope of building an Ark would be a bit unnerving, yet if we truly knew we were called of God to embark on such an undertaking, I would think there would be some excitement inside of us knowing we are doing something God wants us to do.

• We are not here to talk about building an Ark today, but we are going to examine a calling we have from God that is both scary for us, yet if we are faithful to the call, can change the lives of those in our sphere of influence.

• THAT IS EXCITING!

• We have some folks in our midst today take this calling so seriously they have dedicated their lives to fulfilling it in the mission field. We have some folks who are representatives for those who have answered the call.

• I want to encourage you to speak with them during the Mission’s Fair, these people who we support through our Faith Promise are doing the work we cannot easily do all around the world!

• The Ark was built to save mankind, we are called to do something to help save people, let’s turn to Matthew 28:18-20.

• SLIDE #2

• Matthew 28:18–20 (HCSB) — 18 Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. The call.

• Before we get deep into the call, I want to set the scene. According to verse 16, Jesus had told His remaining 11 disciples ahead of time to meet with Him in Galilee to a particular mountain.

• I want to bring your attention to verse 17

• SLIDE #4

• Matthew 28:17 (HCSB) When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.

• I was always intrigued by verse 17, I used to have a hard time understanding it. I mean what MORE could Jesus do to quell the pangs of doubt? He performed miracles, He rose from the dead.

• He healed people, He rose from the dead.

• He had so many great teachings, HE rose from the dead!

• He fulfilled OT prophecy, He ROSE FROM THE DEAD!

• Get my point of confusion.

• When I deepened my study of this passage, a light finally turned on.

• For one, Jesus was coming to them in the distance.

• Second, there were more than the 11 Apostles on the scene. Word got out that Jesus was going to show up in Galilee

• When some of the folks caught a glimpse of Him, they worshipped Him; however, some doubted.

• To doubt means to have a divided conviction, to hesitate, it does not necessarily denote unbelief.

• So it was not the Apostles who doubted, as I always had assumed, but rather there were those in the crowd who was not sure it was Jesus they were seeing. Those who doubted probably doubted it was Jesus they were seeing approach them.

• Some could have doubted in a faith way also.

• It is very well possible that the present appearance to the eleven coincides with, or is part of, the appearance to “the five hundred brothers” (1 Cor. 15:6), the majority of whom were still alive when Paul wrote I Corinthians.

• This would account for the 500 who saw Him at one time, of which some were still alive when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians.

• I do not know about you, but that helps me clear up some of my astonishment that some doubted at this point.

• So Jesus begins His message to the crowd by offering the authority behind the call.

• All AUTHORITY had been given to Him in Heaven and on earth!

• Because of this- because of this authority we are called to make disciples!

• Jesus says that HE has the authority to commission this calling. Also the calling was NOT JUST for the Apostles, it was for all to embrace!